Man Dies After Crashing Through Petersen Events Center Window

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Crews have boarded up the broken glass window at the Petersen Events Center in Oakland after a young man crashed through it Wednesday night and plunged four-stories to the ground.

Authorities say 19-year-old Joseph Kimutis, of McDonald, was taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital with massive head trauma. He was pronounced dead just after 12:20 a.m.

According to Pittsburgh police, Kimutis was one of thousands at the Petersen Event Center for a concert.

Police say in the moments leading up to the incident, the Washington County man was running back and forth, got into a football stance, yelled “hike,” and launched himself through the glass.

“He just come running out and just dove right out the window,” said Joe Ninehauser, a concert-goer. “Immediately, there was tons of people on the scene. It was a sad sight.”

“It really was a surreal feeling because you’re at a concert to have fun,” said another concert-goer. “I saw some police that were looking at sort of the scene, and when I peeked over I saw this huge hole in the glass window and I knew that there was a long distance to fall.”

Authorities said they believe that the glass was at least one-inch thick.

“He seemed to be a little – I don’t know what the term is – but he seemed to be a little out of it at the time and he may have done that, but that’s not for sure at this time,” Pittsburgh Police Lt. Daniel Herrmann said Wednesday night at the scene. “We just know that he did hit the window and we’re looking for actual witnesses that saw this.”

The concert, by the group Furthur, was not interrupted.

Kimutis’ father was at the hospital when his son was brought there. Initial reports that he was also at the concert could not be confirmed.

Seton-La Salle Catholic High School released a statement today on the death of their former student: “The entire Seton-La Salle School community is deeply saddened to learn this morning of the tragic death of one of our former students, Mr. Joseph Kimutis. We extend to his family our deepest sympathies on their great loss and the promise of our prayers and support. Our hearts go out to all of his family and friends as they mourn the loss of this young man.”

Meanwhile, autopsy results are pending and the investigation continues.